Blue Hole Summer 2007 Roadtrip Diary

Here's the final update for my 2007 journeys up to Tennessee and to Blue Hole. :)

2007 Summer Roadtrip Diary

Dates Plans Comments

June 6th and 7th Wed. and Thurs. roadtrip made! I made a good decision and went up on Wed. and Thurs. instead of Thurs. and Friday, as there were a lot of storms in the area on Friday. For me, though, it was great, a bit chilly sometimes when the sun was hidden by clouds (mostly on Thursday) and the wind was blowing, which it did a fair amount. The water flow was low and slow, which made it nice and warm. Lots of cool people -- and some annoying kids in church groups -- both days! Pics from all summer, taken with an underwater disposable, are located here.
I got some videos with my digital camera and two pics. Note the new signage acknowledging the existence of -- be still my heart! -- the new flood warning system. :)

June 20th and 21st Wednesday and Thursday roadtrip made! Two great days and a lot of sunburn! My friend Jason and his wife and her kid also came up and camped at Thunder Rock Campground, only about a mile from Blue Hole around the bend, but had some unusual car trouble, too...wouldya believe they blew their battery fuse when jump-starting their car?
There was a lot of rain on Tuesday, but happily the water was only a little higher than last visit and not much colder either. To add even more spice to the journey, I was actually stopped by a train in Copper Hill on the way in. (!) That line has now been refurbished for excursion runs from Etowah to Copper Hill, TN, and I saw a 'weedkiller' run, towed by a Tennessee Valley RR road-switcher.
I got just a few more abovewater digital pics on this trip, since the water was cloudy after Tuesday's rain.

July 5th and 6th Thursday and Friday roadtrip made! My friend Ripper was finally able to come along! Two excellent days of fun and stuff. Wednesday was a bit better overall, but Ripper liked Thursday since he actually captured a baby water-moccasin (!) further up the river at Little Blue Hole. I got a video from there as well as some digital pics from the main OWC/Blue Hole area. I never hauled out my disposable underwater camera, though. :(

July 25th - 26th Wednesday and Thursday roadtrip made! For this trip, my friends Ripper and Laddie rode up from Atlanta and my friend Jason, his wife Susan and her son Adam went up the same days also. Ripper caught a larger water moccasin further up the river on this trip, too. The weather was iffy on Wednesday until finally a heavy thunderstorm chased us down the mountain to Cleveland at around 6:30pm. Thursday was much better, but the water was about 4" higher and somewhat cloudy due to the rainfall. Still, it was a lot of fun. Photos taken from the bridge are posted here. Pics from all summer, taken with an underwater disposable, are located here.

August 8th and 9th Wednesday and Thursday roadtrip made! Coming during a 100-degree heat wave -- the first in several years down here -- this trip was especially welcome, and it was awesome, too. The low-water river flow was at its slowest in years, and temperature-wise it was almost too warm! The water was moerately clear and I got a few more pics using the underwater disposable camera. This time, my friend Ripper rode up with me, and then Jason and family came up early on Thursday for a one-day visit, as did my RennFaire compadre Drew and his dad. Met some really cool people as usual, including Dylan, who appears in some of the underwater pics located here.

August 22nd and 23rd Wednesday and Thursday roadtrip made! Still very hot weather (although not in the 100s this time), and no rain either day although there were two close-passing thunderstorms on Thursday. The water was at the lowest level I've ever seen it, barely a trickle flowing into the tunnel area, as can be seen here. The water was cooler and a bit more refreshing than on the previous visit since the air temperatures weren't quite so warm. Ripper rode up with me, and Jason and family came up later on Wednesday and stayed overnight. We also met some cool people this week also, including Dustin and Justin, who like cool music and appear in one of the entire summer's batch of underwater pics, located here. Great trip overall!

Dates	Plans	Comments
June 6th and 7th	Wed. and Thurs. roadtrip made!	I made a good decision and went up on Wed. and Thurs. instead of Thurs. and Friday, as there were a lot of storms in the area on Friday. For me, though, it was great, a bit chilly sometimes when the sun was hidden by clouds (mostly on Thursday) and the wind was blowing, which it did a fair amount. The water flow was low and slow, which made it nice and warm. Lots of cool people -- and some annoying kids in church groups -- both days! Pics from all summer, taken with an underwater disposable, are located here. I got some videos with my digital camera and two pics. Note the new signage acknowledging the existence of -- be still my heart! -- the new flood warning system. :)
June 20th and 21st	Wednesday and Thursday roadtrip made!	Two great days and a lot of sunburn! My friend Jason and his wife and her kid also came up and camped at Thunder Rock Campground, only about a mile from Blue Hole around the bend, but had some unusual car trouble, too...wouldya believe they blew their battery fuse when jump-starting their car? There was a lot of rain on Tuesday, but happily the water was only a little higher than last visit and not much colder either. To add even more spice to the journey, I was actually stopped by a train in Copper Hill on the way in. (!) That line has now been refurbished for excursion runs from Etowah to Copper Hill, TN, and I saw a 'weedkiller' run, towed by a Tennessee Valley RR road-switcher. I got just a few more abovewater digital pics on this trip, since the water was cloudy after Tuesday's rain.
July 5th and 6th	Thursday and Friday roadtrip made!	My friend Ripper was finally able to come along! Two excellent days of fun and stuff. Wednesday was a bit better overall, but Ripper liked Thursday since he actually captured a baby water-moccasin (!) further up the river at Little Blue Hole. I got a video from there as well as some digital pics from the main OWC/Blue Hole area. I never hauled out my disposable underwater camera, though. :(
July 25th - 26th	Wednesday and Thursday roadtrip made!	For this trip, my friends Ripper and Laddie rode up from Atlanta and my friend Jason, his wife Susan and her son Adam went up the same days also. Ripper caught a larger water moccasin further up the river on this trip, too. The weather was iffy on Wednesday until finally a heavy thunderstorm chased us down the mountain to Cleveland at around 6:30pm. Thursday was much better, but the water was about 4" higher and somewhat cloudy due to the rainfall. Still, it was a lot of fun. Photos taken from the bridge are posted here. Pics from all summer, taken with an underwater disposable, are located here.
August 8th and 9th	Wednesday and Thursday roadtrip made!	Coming during a 100-degree heat wave -- the first in several years down here -- this trip was especially welcome, and it was awesome, too. The low-water river flow was at its slowest in years, and temperature-wise it was almost too warm! The water was moerately clear and I got a few more pics using the underwater disposable camera. This time, my friend Ripper rode up with me, and then Jason and family came up early on Thursday for a one-day visit, as did my RennFaire compadre Drew and his dad. Met some really cool people as usual, including Dylan, who appears in some of the underwater pics located here.
August 22nd and 23rd	Wednesday and Thursday roadtrip made!	Still very hot weather (although not in the 100s this time), and no rain either day although there were two close-passing thunderstorms on Thursday. The water was at the lowest level I've ever seen it, barely a trickle flowing into the tunnel area, as can be seen here. The water was cooler and a bit more refreshing than on the previous visit since the air temperatures weren't quite so warm. Ripper rode up with me, and Jason and family came up later on Wednesday and stayed overnight. We also met some cool people this week also, including Dustin and Justin, who like cool music and appear in one of the entire summer's batch of underwater pics, located here. Great trip overall!

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